Broken && [[Untouchable]] – [[Anxiety]]
"Maybe she doesn't like you?" Wilson offered, as he sorted out papers.
"I don't think that's it." House muttered, leaning against his friend's desk.
"The girl was just traumatized, House. Have you no sympathy? Just give her a break."
"Her father, and brother, hurt her. I saw her earlier. When I talked to her, she gave no emotion. No response. She gave nothing." House said quietly, more so to himself than to Wilson.
"Jesus Christ, House! You can't read this girl's emotions. You can't get any sort of vibe from her, like you are so very used to." Wilson paused. "And that scares the hell out of you. Doesn't it?"
House looked at Wilson, who motioned for House to leave. House headed for the door, turned back and looked at Wilson, and then left.
House headed to Jade's room, as fast as his gimpy leg would carry him. As he entered her room, she looked over at him.
"Sorry about yesterday." House paused, shifting uncomfortably on his two feet. "I didn't mean to say what I did."
Jade looked at House, and gave a little nod. House approached a chair next to her bed, with caution. Jade made no movement, but followed House with her eyes.
"I suppose you want to know something about me?" he asked, resting his cane on his lap.
Jade's eyes filled with curiosity.
House sighed, and then proceeded to talk.
"I grew up in a strict household. I mean, my family was average. I had a mom, a dad. You could say that I was even living the 'American' dream. Behind our house doors, it was pure chaos. My father was in the marines. So everything had to be perfect for him. I came home with all 'A's', and a 'C' plus one time – on my report card. He was furious. He took his leather belt, and…" House stopped, "Well, he whipped me. Enough about my life though. Can I hear something about you, possibly?"
"Why?" Jade asked, in a barely audible whisper.
"What?" House asked, surprised by her sudden question.
Jade looked over at House.
"Why…Why do you…care?" she asked in a soft voice.
House looked at her. Her eyes gave no emotion, but her voice told him enough. She was scared.
"You're a kid. You deserve a better life." House replied, unsure of what else to say.
Jade continued to look at House, absorbing his words. She looked up at House, and looked at his face.
"But why do you care?"
House was at a loss for words. He thought, briefly, of his stay at Mayfield.
"I know what it's like to hurt. You deserve to get better. If you don't, you'll end up like me. You deserve better than that. I don't know why I want to help. But, I know what it's like to be hurt. Traumatized," House paused, and fiddled with his tie. "I don't want your childhood to turn out, like mine did."
"Does it…does it hurt?" she asked, looking up at House.
"Does what hurt?" House asked, trying his hardest to not say anything that might upset Jade.
"Life," Jade whispered.
House felt like a brick had been dropped on his heart. He looked at her, and then left without saying anything else.
He walked back to Wilson's office, and sat on a chair.
"What are you doing here, again? Can't you see that I'm trying to figure out my patient's insurance?"
"It's the girl." House said, looking at nothing in particular.
"What about her, House? Is she not talking? Is she making little Gregory House mad?" Wilson asked, his voice showing his own irritation.
"It was the question she asked me." House mumbled, still trying to figure out what the girl had meant.
"What did she ask?" Wilson looked up from the mess of papers.
"'Does life hurt?' she asked me if life hurt."
Wilson looked at his friend. His friend's eyes looked like they were tearing up. This girl's question must've really had an impact on House.
Jade lay in the hospital bed, looking out the window. The gray sky, cast a dark shadow in her room.
She looked up at the sky.
"Why am I so dirty?"
